Differential Pressure Transmitter

• The most common and useful industrial

pressure measuring instrument is the
differential pressure transmitter.
• This equipment will sense the difference in
pressure between two ports and produce an
output signal with reference to a calibrated
pressure range.
• The industrial differential pressure transmitters are
made of two housings.
• Pressure sensing element is housed in the bottom half,
and the electronics are housed at the top half.
• It will have two pressure ports marked as “High” and
“Low”.
• It is not compulsory that the high port will be always at
high pressure and the low port always at low pressure.
• This labelling has its relation to the effect of the port on
the output signal.
Differential pressure transmitter construction:

•  Direct Pressure sensing element (located in the

lower housing). 

The majority of industrial DP Transmitters are fitted

with diaphragm as the pressure sensing element.
This diaphragm is a mechanical device. It is placed
in between the two pressure inlet ports.
The diaphragm will be deflected by the applied
pressure.
• Electronic Unit: The electrical signal generated
at the lower chamber by the sensor is in the
range of milli-volt only.

This signal is to be amplified to 0-5V or 0-10V range

or is to be converted to 4-20mA for onward
transmission to a remote instrument.
This upper housing is the Transmitter portion of the
DP Transmitter which houses the Electronic Unit.
• 2-Wire 4-20mA Current Transmitter:
 
A DC output current is generated which is directly
proportional to the pressure range of the Differential
Pressure Transmitter.
The lower range is 4mA, and the upper range is 20mA.
This controlled current output is not affected by load
impedance variation and supply voltage fluctuations.
This 4-20mA output is superimposed with digital
communications of BRAIN or HART FSK protocol.
Industrial applications of Differential Pressure Transmitters:

There are unlimited industrial applications of Differential Pressure

Transmitters.
• Oil and Gas flow metering in onshore, offshore and subsea
applications.
• Water and effluent treatment plants. It is largely used to monitor
filters in these plants.
• It is used to monitor Sprinkler Systems.
• Remote sensing of Heating Systems for Steam or Hot Water.
• Pressure drops across valves can be monitored.
• Pump control monitoring.
Differential Pressure Transmitter Calibration
Procedure
• Set up the differential pressure transmitter, HART communicator,
power supply, hand pump, and the multimeter as below (calibration
setup Diagram).
• Make sure the equalizing valve manifold is closed.
• Apply a pressure to the transmitter equal to a lower range pressure
(usually it correspond to 4 mA in the transmitter output). For example
we have 0 to 100 mBar calibrated range, then the lower range
pressure is 0, or let’s say we have -2 psig to 5 psig then we have lower
range pressure equal to -2 psig.
• Read the pressure in the transmitter LCD (or in the HART
communicator). Adjust (if any) through the HART communicator so
that the output of the transmitter (on LCD) is the same with the
applied pressure.
• Read the mA output of the transmitter by using a multimeter.
Adjust (if any) through the HART communicator so that the output
of the transmitter (on multimeter) is 4 mA.
• Apply a pressure to the transmitter equal to an upper range
pressure (usually it correspond to 20 mA in the transmitter output).
• Read the pressure in the transmitter LCD (or in the HART
communicator). Adjust (if any) through the HART communicator so
that the output of the transmitter (on LCD) is the same with the
applied pressure.
• Read the mA output of the transmitter by using a multimeter.
Adjust (if any) through the HART communicator so that the output
of the transmitter (on multimeter) is 20 mA.
Typical tools required:
• 24 VDC power supply
• Multimeter digital
• Pneumatic hand pump (up to 600 psig)
• Hydraulic hand pump (up to 10.000 psig)
• Low pressure hand pump
• High precision digital test gauge
• HART communicator
• Screwdriver toolkit